Now You See, Now You Don't
by bazinga101
Summary: Max, Fang, and Angel have it all. They survived the end of the world, rule a community of mutants, and they're held at high esteem by everyone who is still living. Well, almost everyone. The rest of the flock notices their family falling apart. Iggy gets lost in the barren world after flying too far from the island. First Fanfic, plz Review!
1. Chapter 1: Paradise-The Eternal Fiesta

**bazinga101: First fanfic! Also first time posting anything so my knees are practically shaking. Just a heads up though, for those of you who have not ****r********ead Nevermore STOP READING IMMEDIATELY! Same goes for people who don't know about Iggy's color-feeling power. Enjoy!**

******Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride (There. I said it. Happy?)**

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_Iggy's POV_

I stood on a rocky cliff; feeling a vivid green color from the moss between my toes warm from an eternity of sun. I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with cool humid air, and took a flying leap off the gritty rock.

Literally flying.

Ella tells me my wings are 15 feet long and streaked with a kind of heather gray, but I don't really care seeing as how I'm blind and all.

Right then, all that mattered was hoping I dropped in the small pond beneath me instead of the large cluster of palm trees to the side. Without warning, I folded my wings and let myself drop like a stone, hitting the water of the pond hard enough to sting. Instantly a wave of spectacular colors washed over me as I soared underwater. I could feel the sparkling blues, rainbow scales of all sorts of exotic fish and, best of all, the green of a lost twenty-dollar bill. I quickly pocketed it and surfaced, feeling the immense loss of brilliant colors once more.

"Show off," someone mumbled.

My head snapped toward the sound. "Let's see you try it blind Fnick," I snapped and stalked off to find Gazzy, already plotting revenge.

"What's his problem?" I heard Max ask.

'This island that's what's wrong', I thought as I slipped into the jungle.

_Max's POV_

"What's his problem?" I ask Fang, but instead of answering he just shrugged and continued wolfing down his lasagna.

I wrinkled my nose, "Couldn't you at least use a fork?"

"Since when did you care about manners?"

"Your right, I'll care about manners when pigs fly. Oh wait," I said pointing at Fang, "they do."

He snorted and poured Ice...Cold...Water...On... My... Friggin'...Head.

It was so on.

I grabbed a plate of cookies, stuffed one in my mouth and launching the rest at Fang. Unfortunately he ducked and the smashed into Ella's face.

"AAAH! Not coo- wait, these are actually pretty good!" She commented while trying (and failing) to lick her nose.

"Food fight!" a certain nine-year old yelled.

And then everything went blue. That's right, blue. Blueberry pie was dripping down my face and onto my favorite shirt.

"Gazzy!"

The clearing fell silent, Gazzy was going to have to face Angry Max.

"Your aim is good," I said, chewing on a cherry. I stood up on the unpolished picnic table, my raptor vision focusing in on the small blonde boy. "But not good enough!" I spat out at least ten seeds, rapid fire, at Gazzy. His big blue eyes widened as dark brown seeds stuck to his forehead in the shape of an 'L'. Just then, a look of confusion passed over Gazzy's face.

"Master Max," he said, "I will forever do nothing but please you, even if it means giving you all my desert. I will speak only when spoken to and tend to your every need. This is my oath."

Dumbstruck, I glanced to my right and saw Angel on the ground laughing her head off.

"Was that you?"

She nodded, gasping for air.

"That wasn't funny." I said solemnly.

A little upset that she had done something wrong Angel hung her head in shame.

"That was hilarious!"

Everyone in the clearing burst out laughing, Nudge was choking on coffee cake, Fang was guffawing into his lasagna, I was grinning triumphantly. Iggy was still missing but I didn't care, I was Maximum Ride, Queen of Paradise!

_Dylan's POV_

"There, that should do it."

I stepped back to admire my handiwork. On the side of Max's tree house was a gigantic neon poster spelling 'Happy Birthday Maximum Ride!'

Everyone was at the waterfall celebrating but I had felt kinda alone, so I slipped away from the festivities to work on Max's poster. It's been a year since the end of the world and Fang is still the king of the jungle. Literally. Sure, I act like everything is fine but when your designed for a person, it's kinda hard to let her go. I've tried to win Max back but the Universe just doesn't seem to like me.

Of course everything I've tried has gone horribly wrong.

Like now, Iggy comes crashing through the jungle like a mad bird, trips, and promptly rips the poster in two.

I just sighed and said "I guess everything's fair in Love and War, huh Universe?"

"Huh?" Iggy asked.

"Nothing," I mumbled.

_Nudge's POV_

Tears were streaming down my face, tears of laughter of course! I haven't actually cried in a year. It's just …when Gazzy…and then…cherry seeds…kowtowing…Gazzy's face…well it was really funny!

Only when the laughter had died down did I look up at Gazzy, but what I saw made me stop smiling immediately. He was in the corner and tracing his finger in the dry dirt, crouched in a defensive position, his eyes squeezed tight to catch escaping tears.

I glanced at Max and Fang, but they were too busy lifting Angel in the air to notice.

'They're so full of themselves,' I thought bitterly, 'Gazzy's crying and do they notice? I don't know, but they certainly don't care.'

I crouched down next Gazzy, "What's wrong?"

He sniffled and said, "Max doesn't care about us and neither do Angel and Fang. All they ever care about is each other and we never get to go flying with them or have a party of just us, the flock. And now Max's makin' fun of me an' everyone was laughin' at me an'…" He burst into tears again.

I thought about that and about how we used to be, every member willing to die for each other. Being able to share anything I wanted with Max, but now when I need to ask her something she's either flying with Fang or swimming with Angel. Sometimes I think that she just doesn't care about us anymore, like Gazzy said. What happened to flock forever? What happened to our family?

"Come on." I said, "Let's go back to the tree house. I don't think they need us anymore."

_Iggy's POV_

Stupid island, stupid Max, stupid Fang stupid poster. I was in a rage and if any of the mutants (sorry, enhanced people) get in my way they'd end up like Dylan's poster: in two halves.

Finally, I broke through the trees to my tree house. The bamboo box sat in the leaves of a tall willow, hidden from any onlookers. Listening intently, I flew up towards a faint sound of buzzing only I could hear. Dr. Martinez had installed a small buzzer so I would fly into a doorway instead of a branch.

Inside a symphony of blinking dials and unfinished projects pinged and whirred, music to my sensitive ears. I felt my way to my room and opened up a trapdoor in my bedroom. No one knew about it, not even Ella who I share everything with. I'm the only one who can navigate my house, knowing nothing lights up except for some projects and some colorful buttons. I've even color coded my inventions so I know what I'm working on, like I know where the trapdoor is because of a small yellow circle in the corner of it.

I drop through the opening into the mouth of a twisting slide. If Max had known about it she would have freaked, saying it was too dangerous and make me take it down, but of course I'd just build it again.

I shot out of the tube into a giant water tank where I could stay as long as I like, and I normally do until I get hungry.

Distorted images flashed in my head, giving me a picture of my surroundings. Indigo water swayed from the splash I had made, slowly calming to gentle lull. The sides of the tank were solid and dark, adding to the mysterious effect.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I can see underwater. For some reason I can feel the colors in the water even if I'm not touching them and the only sources of light in my giant tank are glowing sea life and mosses, pulsating and dancing all around me.

I swam over to a small, well-lit cave. Inside were my own creations of waterproof paper and a kind of paint I call "Cling Paint." With Cling Paint, I can paint and draw underwater. All I have to do is dip a special brush into the paint and the paint will cling to it instead of washing away into the water, then when I begin to paint it clings to my special paper and dries there so, if I wanted (which I don't) I could take it out of the water to show people. Maybe one day I'll paint Ella.

This was my favorite place on the island with no Max, or Fang, or Angel acting like they're better than everyone. Suddenly, I heard a gurgling scream, I looked up to see Ella, Nudge, and Gazzy trying to swim with heavy shoes.

I shot out of my cave with the help of my wings and helped Nudge lift Ella, now unconscious, to the surface, losing my only sight again.

"What are your guys doing?" I yelled, pulling them to a platform at the edge of the tank.

Ella was blinking dizzily but was still conscious , thank God.

"Gazzy and I were curious about what your house looked like," Nudge said sheepishly. " Ella saw us and we decided to take her with us."

"This place is so cool!" Gazzy was shouting a little too loudly, "I wish you could see your place Iggy!"

I was angry, not really at Ella, but Nudge and Gazzy. This was my place of solitude and they just ruined it, if one bad thing happened I was going to snap.

" Y'know what? Fine. Whatever. You guys can look around, but don't tell anyone. Especially not Max."

"But Ella doesn't have gills, Iggy," Nudge said.

Oh yeah, minor detail there. I dug into a small box on the platform and came up with a small metal mouthpiece and goggles.

"Here," I said, giving them to Ella," It'll filter the oxygen out of the water."

I heard a "clink" and a "thwap" and a muffled 'OK' and I dove into the water.

Seeing is amazing and for the first time I could see my three best friends I saw Gazzy's deep blue eyes, his flushed cheeks, and the bubbles sprouting from the gills in his neck.

Nudge's hair was spread through the water in a dark brown wave, her deep chocolate-brown eyes and skin glowed with happiness and wonder as she chased a glowing mechanical jellyfish around.

Ella was lying on the floor, lazily watching bubbles flat up from her oxygen separator. She had long, tan arms, hair like Nudges's except for a few blonde streaks. Fang says that Ella and Max look-alike, except for the skin, but I just couldn't imagine sarcastic, stubborn Max looking anything like gentle obedient Ella.

I swam over to her to get a better 'look' at her face. Through her goggles she had deep brown irises lined with specks of green, which seemed to shift with the glow of the anemone, her face was soft except for the vivid hard look of her eyes. Getting sudden inspiration I swam to the cave and grabbed some paints.

Nudge swam curiously over to me, "Can you… see?"

I hesitated, but nodded smiling slightly.

Her eyes widened "Gazzy!" She gurgled, "Iggy can see!"

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******bazinga101: I'm thinking I'll do my chapters James Patterson style. Ya know, super short and hardly a page. That away I can update quickly.**


	2. Chapter 2: Angel Knows All (AKA)

**bazinga101: This chapter is for my friend, Vatala Darkmist. I had already written it when I realized how fitting the chapter was. We'll miss you VD! Also I have a poll up for why there are hardly any Iggy fanfics.**

**Iggy: Please check it out. I feel so unloved.**

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_Ella's POV_

_Iggy can see? _I looked at his eyes. Instead of staring and foggy, his sky blue irises were sharp and focused. _The day I wear my mom's clothes,_ I thought, exasperated.

I tried to say something but all that came out were bubbles. So Iggy can see and now I'm mute.

"I can only see underwater." He gurgled sheepishly.

"And you can paint and you've kept it a secret!" Nudge rambled, "That is sooo cool! And now you know what we look like and we don't need to describe stuff for you. Except above water of course. But still! Iggy seeing! That's like mmph-"

I clapped her mouth shut and looked quizzically at Iggy: _How long?_

He got the message. "About four months." seeing my hurt expression he added quickly, "I didn't want to tell anyone, not just you."

I guess that makes me feel a bit better.

"Can we see your paintings?" Gazzy asked.

"I guess so."

We swam over to the cave. Reaching it first, I glanced around and gasped, which with this breathing thingy was a mixture between a cough and a hiccup. Photos floated and danced with the current a long with globs of paint and a few paper airplanes. Paintings lined the wall. I floated closer to one. It was a painting of a hand searching through darkness. Its extended finger was lightly brushing the surface of water, causing ripples to form. From the point of contact, colors burst from the water, spiraling and shooting to the edges of the canvas.

"You did this?" Nudge whispered. Iggy shrugged. He swam over to a floating camera, obviously waterproof.

"Can I take a picture of you guys?" he asked sheepishly.

"Of course!" Nudge squealed/gurgled. I rolled my eyes and thunked the back of her head.

"I mean yeah, sure whatever," she corrected, rubbing her neck.

"Let's do it at the surface so Ella doesn't have to wear goggles." Gazzy suggested.

_Yes_ _let's, _I thought. The rubber of the goggles was beginning to pinch skin. I nodded agreeably and we all started to swim up to the surface.

Iggy seeing. Huh. It's a Maximum Day miracle.

_Angel's POV (Next Day)_

_You don't want your ice cream._

"I don't want my ice cream." Dylan was saying.

_You think you'll give it all to Angel._

_"_I think I'll give it all to Angel_."_

_"_Thank you so much, Dylan!" I exclaimed innocently. Strawberry, my favorite.

As I was licking my bowl clean, I noticed Iggy was scowling at me. Or maybe he had a problem with Celeste, I don't know. I frowned. This is Paradise, no one should be unhappy. Maybe he doesn't like his ice cream. I reached into his thoughts, trying to pick up what got him so mad.

_Self centered little girl. Thinks she can do anything she wants just because she's Max's favorite. Not that Max is any better. I wonder why Dr. Martinez even lets her rule this place._

I just stared at him in shock. Iggy doesn't like me? But he was like a big brother or something. Was I his annoying little sister? I don't like being annoying.

"Max?" I whispered, tugging on her sleeve.

"Yeah sweetie?"

"Am I self-centered? What does self-centered mean, exactly?"

"Who called you self-centered?"

I looked down, fixing Celeste's halo.

"Angel, sweetie, tell me who called you self-centered." Max said firmly.

"I-iggy."

"Iggy?!"

I nodded. Iggy's head swiveled towards our voices.

"What?" he asked harshly.

"Did you call Angel self-centered?"

He turned red, "Maybe! What's it to you?"

I grinned from behind Celeste's head. Iggy's gonna get it trouble!

_Iggy's POV_

"Iggy, what's this about?"

Max and I were outside of the food hall, standing about a foot and a half away from each other, the space between us crackling with anger.

"What is what about?" I growled.

"You calling Angel self-centered. What was that all about?"

"Because she is! And you! And Fang!"

Max was silent for a moment. "I think you should think carefully about what you're saying, Iggy."

I gaped at her. I couldn't believe this. She was threatening me! Max, who comforted me when I became blind, who led me through everything that the white coats threw at us was threatening me!

In response to her threat, I unfurled my wings and started to fly away.

"Oh, no you don't" I heard Max say. Her fist shot right past my ear, whistling through the air. Okay, that was _it_. I pushed down with my wings, climbing steadily into the sky. A whooshing sound just below me told me Max was doing the same. Calculating her position carefully, I dropped onto her head, covering her eyes with my hands. She twisted, pushing me away. When I broke away, she had a kind of cream over her eyes.

"I can't see!" she shrieked.

"Oh, no! What a nightmare!" I exclaimed in mock sympathy. In that moment Max shot at me, attempting to land a round kick.

Of course, what she didn't know was that I was expecting that.

I grabbed her leg, the force of the kick traveling up my arm. I used the energy of her attack to twist her leg behind her, narrowly avoiding her wings.

"Give up." I hissed.

"Never!" she kicked outwards, sending me spiraling away.

I heard her start to drop. Was she unconscious? She shouldn't be. I dived after her, hoping I wouldn't have to carry my opponent to safety.

I heard a splash below me. Oooh. I get it now. She wanted to wash off the salve. Smart, but there's a problem with that...

I sank into the water, enjoying the symphony of colors that rushed up to meet me. Beams of light sparkled over a giant coral reef, sea life swaying calmly in the ocean. An angry Max floated in the middle of it all. Fang was right. Ella and Max do look-alike. Only, I first saw Ella in a relatively calm environment. Now I see Max trying to kill me. Yep, so alike they could be twins.

"You've lost, Iggy," she said, looking triumphant.

"How so?" I asked calmly.

"Because I can see, you idiot!"

"Your point?"

"Well, you can't."

"Says who?"

"Says...wait, what?!"

"Don't hurt yourself."

"You can see?"

"That could be a possibility."

She glared at me, "You're lying."

"Me? Lie?

"Ha-ha. Prove your telling the truth."

I thought for a moment. "See that fish? The orange one with three white stripes?"

"Yeah?"

"Well so do I."

She turned a pasty shade of white.

"I can also see that you're resembling a ghost."

"Shut up!" she launched herself through the water at me.

Ever tried to fight underwater? I didn't think so. Well, let me tell you it's not easy. Trying to land a blow is hard to do in slow motion.

I ducked her first attack and launched a crescent kick at the side of her head. She dodged it easily and attempted a spinning heel kick, missing completely. I knew neither of us could win, going on like this, so I swam to the surface, making Max follow me. I never got there.

Strong hands clamped over my gills. Panic washed over me, overwhelming my senses. I gasped for air but only got a lungful of bitter seawater. I tried to break her grip but my adrenaline was quickly fading. My short life passed before my eyes, which wasn't very interesting considering most of it was dark. My struggles to break free grew half-hearted. Would Max really do this?

Just as I started to sink, I heard an 'oof' and the pressure on my neck lifted. I sucked in water gratefully, passing the air through my gills. I twisted around trying to see what had happened. Max was staring at her hands, shocked. Ella was holding her back, looking just as shaken.

_What happened? _Her look said.

I shook my head angrily and swam away.

Darkness greeted me as I surfaced. I shook my wings and struggled to get into the air. Numb with shock and anger, I caught an air current, not caring where I was going. All that mattered was to put as much distance between Max and I as possible.

_Max's POV_

I stood at the beach, helping Ella dry off. She stiffly accepted my help, quietly letting me wrap a towel around her.

"What did you do?" she whispered.

I paused, not sure myself, "I don't know."

I reached out to reassure her but she shrugged my hand away.

"He'll come back." I said, trying to sound certain. I'm not sure if it worked.

The flock came running into the clearing.

"Max!" I turned to see Nudge's face streaked with tears for the first time in a year, "Angel told us what happened and-" she frowned and glanced around, "Where's Iggy?"

Ella seemed to wake up "He flew off. Max-" she broke off.

Gazzy's eyes widened. Nudge, for once, was at a lost for words. Fang and Angel just stood glumly next to Dylan who was staring at me uncomprehendingly.

"Just when I thought I knew you..." Dylan trailed off shaking his head.

Nudge and Gazzy each took one of Ella's arms and led her out of the clearing with Zombie Dylan in tow.

"He'll come back." Angel said.

"That's what I told Ella, but I'm not so sure."

"He's practically got an internal compass," Fang pointed out "he'll come back."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay, he will." I took a shaky breath "And if he gets lost, he probably has some kind of gadget to get him home."

"See? There's nothing to worry about."

I let the two of them lead me back to the food hall. Instead of the usual noise that greets me, tables of mutants sat in silence, staring as we passed to the head table.

_My life is officially a soap opera._

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**bazinga101: I'm rereading this and can't help but think how dramatic this is. By my standards at least. Como se dice 'cliche'?**

**Iggy: Can you please not speak French? It makes my head hurt.**

**bazinga101: I seriously need to get you a Rosetta Stone. At least so you can learn THAT I"M SPEAKING SPANISH, YOU FOOL!**

**Iggy: Hey, Hey! I'm not deaf too!**

**bazinga101: Coulda fooled me.**

**Iggy: R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3: Beautiful Mistakes

**bazinga101: Feliz navidad, amigos!**

**Iggy: Huh?**

**bazinga101: Merry Christmas! Geez, you really are uneducated.**

**Iggy: Sorry! I don't know French!**

**bazinga101: O.O,**

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Lily's POV

I felt like a mistake. I'm light, yet heavy ... agile, yet clumsy ... smart, yet a total moron. Huge round wings were on my back, uncomfortably weighing me backwards. My fangs made it hard to talk, hard to eat. Nothing about myself felt natural. I'm a fifteen year old girl with a constant problem of facial hair. Maybe not quite hair but whiskers and patches of striped fur. In the winter my auburn hair spreads to the sides of my face, making it nearly impossible to appear normal. Strike that, it's _completely_ impossible for me to appear normal. I had to learn to shave at age eight so I could blend in and avoid capture.

At the School, I was born with bengal tiger DNA but my success as a long-lasting recombinant didn't seem to satisfy them. The whitecoats gave me barn owl's wings at age five. Since then I've been at war with myself, trying to keep my feline and avian instincts at bay. Flying is nearly impossible for me, for my natural domain is land.

What's worse is now I'm stuck in New York after the end of the world, scavenging for food that hasn't already been swept away by the freak tsunami that had taken everyone in the city. Between my appetite and my metabolism, hunger has become a regular part of my twisted life.

I was roaming my broken kingdom, trying to satisfy my ever-growing hunger with bits of hotdog and cookie crumbs.

It was weird, getting to walk around with my orange and black tail trailing behind me, not having to wear a hat to cover my pointed ears. Not that my ears are any use. At age eleven they had been permanently damaged in an eraser attack. By then nothing mattered except survival and I still would go to any lengths to do so.

I inhaled, trying to detect any smells of meat over the stench of mud and rubble. I opened my eyes, catching the faint aroma of a cheeseburger. I dropped onto all fours, sliding out my claws. I've missed this. The hunt, the feeling of power and grace despite my unnatural wings. Twisting and slinking around fallen buildings, I found it. Sitting next to a cash register, the cheeseburger was literally shining under a beam of flourescent light. Though cold and hard the meat was heaven to my dry tongue. Licking the wax paper clean, I surveyed the building.

Clothes were strewn everywhere, covering silver racks and broken mirrors. I knelt and picked up a wrinkled shirt. I glanced down at my outfit. Hospital gowns aren't exactly 'in' right now.

A sudden wave of happiness struck me. I could be normal! All I need is some normal clothes, a normal hair cut, and normal shoes.

I dashed about the store, prancing and grabbing hangers. Some of this, some of that, ew, not that. I imagined myself begging a parent to come here with friends. I'd spend the day here, burning my allowance of five dollars a week. For a moment, I felt as if my fantasy was real, actually dreading the return of school on Monday. But I tripped over my tail and remembered the awful truth.

Finally, I decided on a shoulder shirt and skinny jeans and began searching for shoes. This was something I desperately needed. I've been running around the city bare foot, more than once stepping on shards of glass.

I decided on a plain pair of Converse, seeing as UGGs were not the easiest to run in.

I checked myself in the mirror. My patches of fur were gone, replaced by a cluster of freckles I didn't know I had. I extended my wings, for once in my life proud of their powerful beauty.

I felt like a mistake. A wonderful, perfect mistake.

Fang's POV

_Maybe Iggy's right._

The thought appeared out of nowhere, startling me. _Don't think like that, _I thought, _Max isn't selfish._

_You're just saying that, _said the other part of me,_ you're just saying that because Max is your girlfriend._

I shook my head. I need to concentrate. Max needs me to help with reassuring the mutants. I can't start doubting her now.

I glanced around the treehouse village. Everything looked fine. Everything except.. I squinted trying to make out a distant shape.

There were at least twenty mutants heading for the village and none of them looked friendly.

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**bazinga101: Sorry the chapter's so short, Iggy was mad at me because it hardly mentions him.**

**Iggy: Seriously! I'm ignored enough as it is!**

**bazinga101: Right... And thanks a bunch Aesanna for being the first reviewer! Oh, and I don't do PM for security sake. Sorry.**

**Iggy: So paranoid.**

**bazingha101: You betcha! And don't forget to visit my poll. R&R to help Iggy feel less lonely!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Mutant Mob

**bazinga101: What? Is it update time all ready? La dee dah, paragraph here, and there, done!**

**Iggy: Nice to know you put so much work into your stories.**

**bazinga101: Hmm? Oh, yeah. Wait. What is this 'work' you speak of?**

**Iggy: How do you live with yourself?**

**bazinga101: With Green Day and books. I'm my own kind of cat lady!**

**Iggy: The insane book nerd with a social life but just barely and allergic to cats cat lady?**

**bazinga101: Awww! You think I have a social life! How cute! I leave the house to catch the bus and that's it.**

**Iggy: Well, I'm glad you're not turning into that author from 'Nim's Island'.**

**bazinga101: What's wrong with her? That was my first career choice!**

**Iggy: Ummmm, well at least your not the girly kinda book nerd. Come on, I'm trying to give you some credit here.**

**bazinga101: Well that one is true. I finish reading a young adult novel and then go and try to get past 'Medium' on Guitar Hero. Hardcore!**

**Iggy: Riiiiiiiight...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Lily either. *sniff***

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Iggy's POV

Did I ever mention I have short-term memory loss? Well I do and let me tell you it's almost as annoying as Max.

About fifty or so miles from the island, I remembered who I was mad at. Then I realized how stupid I was being. Where was I going to go? It was the end of the world for crying out loud! There's no one else out there to take me in. I turned around and started flying back to Max Land. Good thing I have an internal compass.

Wait, where's my sense of direction? Hello, Mr. Compass? I started freaking out, turning this way and that, trying to remember which air current brought me here.

Cold acceptance reached my head. I was lost. More lost than a blind guy already is. I, Iggy Griffiths, was lost.

And I was flying over the Atlantic Ocean. No landmarks, no sight, no nothin'. I couldn't stand it anymore. I let myself drop thirty feet to the ocean, sobbing all the way.

_I hope Max is happy._

After my tears had completely dissolved into the salty water, I got up and tried to get my bearings. I thought about Gazzy and Ella, even Nudge as annoying as she is, back at the island. I had to get back to them, there's nothing for me here, twenty thousand leagues under the sea.

I took a deep breath and started swimming towards what I think is north. If I flew I wouldn't be able to tell if I had found land or not, seeing how I couldn't see (Get it? _Seeing_ how I couldn't_ see. _Because, like, I'm blind and...Nevermind).

The water was completely clear. No fish, no reefs, no other bird kids (duh). The light blue liquid faded to black beneath me. It was kind of unsettling, actually. Not knowing what was down there was worse than being certain that there is a shark two inches from my I know what to do and start planning an escape. Down here I felt more blind than ever. There was no change in scenery after the hours I've swam. I couldn't here anything except the deafening sound of water pounding against my ears. All in all it felt kind of... peaceful. And that's not something I'd normally admit.

I liked big loud explosions and complex gadgets that makes life easier for me. My paintings back at the island were just so I could remember what it's like to see when I'm above water. I don't particularly like to draw but it was kind of relaxing in a nice way.

I glanced back down at the ocean depths and felt a trickle of fear. _Just keep swimming, just keep swimming._ This ain't so bad. Just swimmin' and hummin' along. Maybe I'll put together a musical when I get back.

I paused for a was wrong with me? I don't _hum._ Iggy no hum. Nor do I quote Finding Nemo.

I started swimming faster. _I need to get home. I need to get home. I need to get home._

Jeb's POV

Wonderful, this was going to be a great experiment. Balancing on the utmost branch in a tree not far from the crowd that was forming, I raised a pair of binoculars to my eyes.

_There._

Max flew down from her house, looking ticked off at the mob of mutants gathering under it. She gestured wildly at the dark night and at herself. I frowned trying to catch her words through the static in my headset. I tweaked a wire and Max's ramblings streamed into my ears.

"...trying to get a wink of sleep but noooooo. You just had to march in the middle of the night and wake half the village up! Can't it wait 'til morning?"

The head of the mob, a seventeen year-old leopard recombinant, stepped towards her. I leaned forward, anticipating the first words of rebellion.

"We wish to speak peacefully with you before we take action." he said, completely ignoring Max's question, "You may bring Fang and Angel with you as long as the girl doesn't try any funny business."

I held my breath, knowing Max did not take kindly to an older mutant trying to take charge. She was weighing her options, I suspected, trying to decide if it was better to go with them and lose more respect as a take-charge leader or refuse and cause more anger among them.

"Fine, but leave your crew behind. You may take two with you but that's_ it_."

The mutant grinned and waved an avian and snake recombinant forward. Fang and Angel flew down from the balcony and the six began making their way to the food hall.

I lowered my binoculars and smiled. The fight for leadership is always the most interesting part of watching a herd or pride and this was shaping up to be the biggest, dirtiest, foot-stompin'-est fight of all time.

Leopard Guy's POV

I can't believe I got this far.

Max's POV

I can't believe he got this far. Normally by now one of his minions would at least have a few major injuries. The only thing that was hurt now was my pride. Stupid mutant uprisings. Why couldn't they just shut up and follow orders?

I stopped and stared ahead bewildered. I was starting to sound like those annoying officials! I never shut up and follow orders so why I am I wishing these guys would? I shook my head. I confuse myself sometimes.

"What are you standing around for? Get moving, prisoner!" The snake dude hissed.

"Yeah, yeah I'm movin- wait, prisoner?" I turned around to stare at Leopard Guy. I guess a year of being free had made me slow. I needed some good old-fashioned broken bones.

Spotty shot a glance at Scaly and cursed under his breath "Get them!" he shouted and mutants burst out of the surrounding jungle. I waited for my brain to go on autopilot. And waited. And waited.

Nothing happened.

Well, I was tied up and covered in duct tape but what I meant was I didn't:

a) kick butt

b) shout orders

or

c) _fly away_

What was wrong with me? I had just sat there and let them tie Fang, Angel and I without batting an eye. Struggling against my restraints I sent a thought to Angel. _Why did I freeze up?_

She turned towards me, her golden curls pinched in the rope around her shoulders. _I had to do it, if you had attacked it would have made us look even worse and there's no way we could beat them. These are thinking enhanced beings, not some M-Geek or Flyboy._

I stared at her. I had hoped she'd never control me but now she had and I was _not_ okay with that.

"Angel, when I get my hands on you..." I threatened. Or at least tried to.

What came out was 'Umphol hmph egen mm hanph nn oo...". But she understood me and, get this, smiled through the duct tape. That child has serious issues.

The next few hours consisted of me being paraded around the village and stuffed into a shack somewhere on the other side of the island. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate closed spaces? Well, I hate closed spaces and this one was a pretty small closed space. Whoop de doo dang.

I glanced at Fang who was tapping his foot against the wall.

"They should at least hurry this kidnapping thing up." I said, trying to lighten the mood.

He smiled (kinda), "Maybe they're bringing the Gasman in to torture us."

"God, no!" Angel shrieked.

We started laughing but at the same time I was genuinely afraid of this new idea. Small closed spaces and the Gasman don't mix well.

"Maybe...maybe they'll bring Nudge in and make us all dress up!"

Fang stopped laughing, "That-that's horrible! How could you joke about a serious matter such as that?"

Angel was crying and trying to stifle her fits of laughter. Just to make her more miserable, I came over and started tickling her until she shrieked for mercy.

You've probably noticed our lack of restraints by now. Well, our gentleman of a captor took them off right before we were shoved in here. 'Here' being an iron-based hut with reinforced locks. It's nice to see they trust us so much.

I lay back and started gulping lungfuls of air. stared up at the ceiling. Instead of a roof there were bars like the ones in jails. And it looked like it was about to rain.

_Happy Maximum Day to me, happy Maximum Day to me..._

* * *

**bazinga101: So Max is being held hostage (poor captors) and Iggy's lost.**

**Iggy: Are you blind too? I'm right here!**

**bazinga101: No, you're lost! Be gone! *poof***

**Iggy: (somewhere in Mexico) Hey!**

**bazinga101: That's better. The Gentleman Ghost, may I call you The? No? OK. , I really, really wanted to use Coltrane as the mob leader but my Maxness (paranoidness) took over.**

**Iggy: (still in Mexico) Help!**

**bazinga101: R&R to bring Iggy back! Otherwise we'll have Nudge entertain us.**

**Nudge: What is that supposed to mean?**

**bazinga101: You know we love you. My poll is still up so be sure to vote! And am I the only one who feels sorry for Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, and Ella being treated like extras?**


	5. Chapter 5: 'Hello, Iggy Speaking'

**bazinga101: Poor Iggy, still in Cancun.**

**Nudge: Gee, that's too bad. Hey, who wants to sing Ke$ha?**

**bazinga101: I'm fine, really, there's no reason to-**

**Nudge: Weeeee-Hee aRe NEVEH EVEH EVEH geTtiN' bAck tOgEtheR!**

**bazinga101: THat's not even Kesha!**

**Nudge You didn't say it right! It's Ke$ha! And what are we even doing here? Aren't we supposed to be saving the world or something?**

**bazinga101: What? And miss this? Just imagine you're on Oprah or something.**

**Nudge I'm on OPRAH!?**

**Max: What have you done?**

**bazinga101: YOUR supposed to be kidnapped.**

**Max: I am! Do you think I want to be here?**

**bazinga101: (pointed look)**

**Max: Well, maybe a little...**

**bazinga101: Toldya. And should I go by Zin, Zinga, or 101?**

* * *

_"I'd like to be...under the sea...in an octopus's garden...in the shade..."_

I took an under water bow. Ten scaly faces stared blankly back at me.

"Shoo, you stupid fish! You just don't know talent when you hear it." I gurgled.

As they darted away, I continued swimming _that way._ It's been a day and I'm bored. And exhausted. And bored. Wait I already said that. See? I'm going into hysteria. 'Cause I'm _hysterical! _HAHAHAHA! Get it?

Still, the only thing I've seen so far is that school of fish. I found myself getting frustrated. I've probably only gone seventy miles! I started pushing up, trying to reach the stars above me. Why have I been swimming instead of flying anyways? I feel like such an idiot!

Just as I was about to breach the surface, my eye caught a shape i the distance.

A dark broken silhouette rose out of the water only a mile away. No way. I couldn't have traveled that far already! I squinted, trying to make out the tallest shape.

Sure enough, the Empire State Building was still standing after the end of the world.

I burst out of the inky black water and started flying toward it. Land! Not any land, in fact, but the Big Apple!

I tumbled into an open street and started dashing around the streets, trying to find an overturned hot dog vendor in complete darkness. I swung around the corner of a brick building, only to slam face first into a telephone pole.

"I'm okay!" I shouted to no one in particular.

Still grinning like a doofus, I steadied myself against the telephone pole. Telephone!

Didn't Dr. Martinez have a phone?

I dropped on all fours and began feeling around for a lost quarter. Eventually I found one wedged into the sidewalk. Once upon a time, New York City had annoyed the heck out of me with all that noise. Now she was my best friend.

I pushed the coin into the slot and held my breath. I nearly danced with joy when I heard it start ringing. Now for the moment of truth...

I heard a crackle on the other line, like someone picking up the phone.

"Hello?"

My heart quickened. It was Dr. Martinez!

"Dr. Martinez? It's me! Iggy!"

"Iggy?! Where are you? How did you get on the phone?"

"I'm in-" I cut off. I heard a small crack and and a long, rude beep carried through the line.

What just happened?

* * *

**bazinga101: Hooray for short chapters! I had more but it was deleted and I was too lazy to rewrite the whole thing. I'll write it tomorrow.**

**Max: I think you should go by Zin. Three letter nicknames are the best.**

**Zin/bazinga101: Are we still talking about that? **

**Nudge: I love talking! What are we talking about?**

**Gazzy: Bombs!**

**Angel: Naw, bombs are to explosion-y. Let's talk about-**

**Total: Me!**

**Nudge: Hey, Zin? Do you need Thorazine?**

**Zin: I don't think so...**

**Nudge: Well, it says in this magazine that if you know someone who has really diverse interests, like Billy Holiday AND Nirvana (looks at Zin), then they might be a schizo.**

**Zin: I think I'm going to explode.**

**Fang: You get used to it.**

**Max: R&R to give Zin medical attention!**

**Zin: I do ****_not _****need-**

**Gazzy: Hey, how do you know if you're an insane author?**

**Zin: (dreading answer) How?**

**Gazzy: When your author notes are as long as your story!**

**Zin: ARGH! (headdesk)**

**Nudge: (singing) ...making desperate calls. I'm staying up all night hoping, hitting my head against the wall!**


	6. Chapter 6: Boulevard of Broken Dreams

**Zin: First things first, yes this is kinda like a songfic chapter and yes, I kinda went insane with the last chapter. And I don't know if you noticed but looking at each of my chapters you can see it looks like a different person writing each time. Chapter 1=Somewhat normal, Chapter 2= Soaps script writer, Chapter 3= Some fancy schmancy author, Chapter 4=James Patterson- style, Chapter 5= Insanely bored me. **

**Nudge: Are you sure your not schizo?**

**Zin: No, I'm Zin.**

**Iggy: Zin? Since when?**

**Zin: Iggy! Thank God you're back! These bird people are crazy!**

**Max: At least I'm not schizo.**

**Iggy: Seriously, what have I missed?**

**Fang: You don't want to know.**

* * *

Iggy's POV

I put the phone back, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach. Or I was just hungry. Probably both.

I had only gone about a block when my sensitive ears picked up a faint sound. I paused, listening intently. Nothing. Then the slight noise of fur brushing concrete. Swallowing my fear I quickly pinpoint the sound's location, ten feet behind me to the left. The clink of a misplaced claw confirmed this.

I started walking again, as if nothing happened. I heard a soft padding of a stalking monster and quickened my pace. Finally I couldn't take it anymore.

"Who's there?" My voice bounced off rubble and back to me, giving me a rough layout of my surroundings.

No response except for the occasional breath from what ever was behind me. I was so focused on the beast, which had seemed to disappear, that I didn't hear the thumping of sneakers on the street.

"What are you doing here?" a feminine voice reached my ears, "Why aren't you dead?"

"Nice to meet you too." I muttered.

"I thought I was the last one alive." the girl continued, oblivious to my last comment.

"Iggy, pleasure." I went on, feeling as if we were having two different conversations.

"What? Oh, you were introducing yourself. Nice to meet you." she said absently as if she wasn't sure what I was saying.

She must have seen my expression because she quickly added, "Oh, and I'm deaf."

"Nice to meet you, Deaf. I'm Blind." I said, extending my hand.

She paused for a moment, probably trying to read my lips. This was a weird exchange, I thought. After a while she laughed.

"Really? What are the odds? Do you know sign language by any chance?"

I shook my head. I never bothered, as it would never really benefit me.

"Bummer. I'll teach you. It's really cool actually, sign language. It makes me feel like a secret agent."

I thought about that. Maybe it will be useful, "Okay. What's your real name. I take it it's not 'Deaf'."

She finally shook my hand. It was beginning to go numb.

"I'm Lily. Welcome to the end of the world."

* * *

**Zin: Now before you get mad at me I'd like to remind you that this is the other half of the last chapter. Not to mention I've been pretty good at updating if I do say so myself.**

**Iggy: Always the modest one.**

**Zin: Yep! Hey, what happened to everyone else? They were beginning to grow on me.**

**Iggy: Who? The Flock? I-I don't know anything, I swear!**

**Zin: (interrogation style) Where were on the fifteenth of May? In the heat of the day?**

**Iggy: In the cool of the pool! In the Jungle of Nool!**

**Zin: Heh, good one.**

**Max: (walks in with the rest of the flock) I'm sorry, Zin, but it's for your own good.**

**(Flock ties Zin up to a leather recliner)**

**Zin:What the-**

**Nudge: (with clipboard and horn-rimmed glasses) And how does that make you feel?**

**Max: I don't think a billion R&Rs can save Zin from this.**

**Zin: Have mercy!**

**Nudge: And do you think this was caused by neglect as a child? Maybe even too much attention? I'm charging by the hour so you might want to hurry this up.**


	7. Chapter 7: Tiger Lily

**Zin**:** Sorry I took so long. I guess you can say I lost my muse. And I've been friggin' exhausted for no reason. Blame it on the homework. Well, sorry for the lame last two chapters, I'm horrible at fillers. So, enjoy!**

**Iggy: You sound so burned out.**

**Zin: Aren't you the observant one.**

* * *

(A day after Iggy arrived in New York)

Iggy's POV

Lily released my hand, letting the blood flow back into it. _Geez, what a grip, _I thought. When the life returned to my fingers, I realized the possibilities that had just opened up with Lily. She could see, which means she could help me get home, which means I could return to Ella and Gazzy, which means I can kick Max's butt.

But nothing is that easy, right? Because a split second later I was pinned to the ground by what felt like giant claws. Like, T-rex big claws. Oddly enough this latest catastrophe didn't surprise me.

"What the heck _is _that?" I heard Lily choke out. _Is what? Is _what? I wanted to scream, but I knew she wouldn't hear me.

I squirmed out beneath the claws, trying to keep down my rising panic.

"Tell me what he looks like!" I said, hoping Lily was paying attention.

Fortunately, she was, "It's like a giant gray reptile with a purple mouth, but it looks like it's crying green slime. Gross."

Okay first, _sweet! _Second of all, where the heck did this thing come from? It's not like this thing avoided people all these years. And third of all...

_Why isn't it attacking?,_ I mouthed.

"I think it's a herbivore."

I raised an eyebrow. And what does that mean exactly?

"He's vegetarian." she added quickly.

Ah.

Sudden idiotic inspiration struck me. I dashed to what I think was Godzilla's tail and felt around for it to make sure. My finger brushed scale and I gestured for Lily to follow me.

"What are you doing?"

I answered her by hoisting myself onto his tail. Maybe we could use Lizzie as some kind of transportation. I held out my hand to help her on.

"I'm right here, numbskull." a voice hissed from behind me.

Oops.

Shaking my head, I hooked my fingers into Lizzie's scales and began to climb. Halfway to its neck I started to wonder why I hadn't just flown up. That's not something I normally forget. I mean, I have _wings._

_But Lily doesn't._

I was so startled I nearly fell off. Was that _the _Voice (AKA Angel)? Or was it my thought? Whatever or whoever it was, it/she was right. Lily was one hundred percent human. I didn't need to freak her out with a fifteen foot wingspan. At least, not until later when we figure out how to get home. I could tell her then.

Finally, I got to the top of Lizzie's neck and waited for Lily to catch up. And waited. And waited.

"Lily?" I called, hoping she sees.

"What?" she called from a few feet up, "I'm right here."

How did she get up there so fast?

"Okay, do you have anything long enough to use as a bridle?"

"I can see a rope but I can't reach it."

"Tell me where."

"Um, about nine feet to you right on the roof of UDo."

I stood shakily on the lizard's back and unfurled my wings. I heard a stifled gasp come from Lily. Hopefully she wouldn't freak out too much and start screaming.

Ignoring her, I leapt toward the rope and glided to the roof. I got on hands and knees and began feeling around for a coil. Instead I felt a cord-like strand writhe beneath my outstretched fingers. I felt the hairs stand up on the back of my neck, fear prickling through my skin like rain drops.

"Oops," I heard Lily squeak, "that's not rope."

I'd like to say I swallowed my fear and kept my head, but I didn't. If I'm not mistaken, the scream that followed was e flat above high c. I shot backwards, away from the snake.

Not smart. Tripping over the edge of the building, I plunged toward the asphalt below.

The impact blasted towards me, rattling every bone in my body. An unbearable, searing pain burned through my wings. The last thing I heard was Lily screaming in horror as my senses washed away.

Lily's POV

Numb terror took hold of my body. I finally met another mutant in this barren world and he falls to his death.

Iggy's body lay in a heap in the street below, his wings bent at an awkward unseeing eyes were half-closed, mouth drooping to the side.

That was it. I snapped. All the pain and suffering I had dealt with for the fifteen years I've been alive ripped my self-control to shreds. I was disintegrating to pressure. Burning up with despair and hopelessness. How could I make it out of here alive if I couldn't even save my first-ever friend?

I slid off the giant lizard's back, who stood there as still as before.

Salty tears sliding off my cheeks, I lifted Iggy's hand and felt for a pulse. A strong throbbing appeared under my fingertips.

For the first time in my life, I smiled. My fangs slid awkwardly into a grin, hurting my lips. Bubbling laughter erupted from my throat, sounding hoarse and slightly crazy. Things were going to be okay. I could fix him up and we could find a way to survive this world with giant lizards and Manhattan snakes.

Iggy's POV

_I feel like a mummy._

Those were the first words that popped in my head. Well it was true. From my neck to my knees bandages wrapped my wings close to my body. I was lying on what felt like a cot. My limbs felt like lead, refusing to move.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." Lily said cheerfully.

"Bite me." I mumbled. No answer. I sighed, this whole blind-deaf thing could use some getting used to.

"I found some chicken." she said, "There's not much but enough to last us a day."

Dry meat was being gently forced into my mouth. I slowly swallowed a mouthful, ignoring the pain in my teeth.

"I found a few books on first aid at the library." she went on, giving me another bite of chicken, "You're really light so I carried you to store and did my best to fix anything broken. You've been out for two days so you're probably really hungry. As for your...wings-"

"About that..." I croaked. My throat felt like sandpaper.

"No, it's fine. They-well, I have some too." Lily rushed as if she was afraid of being interrupted.

I didn't have enough energy to be surprised. After the lizard, this wasn't so hard to believe.

"But they're not really my wings." she added quickly, "They were grafted on me later. I'm really a tigris-human hybrid."

I frowned. I had never heard of any mutants with tiger DNA. Something about it being too strong.

"How did they do it?" I managed to whisper.

"I don't know." she admitted, "They said I had a gap in my DNA or something. I don't really understand it."

I managed a weak grin, "So, your like a tiger Lily?"

"Yeah, I'm like a Tiger Lily."

* * *

**Zin: Wow, I haven't updated in forever. Hopefully I'll be updating every weekend. I finished this late so sorry if I sound tired. *falls asleep over keyboard**

**Iggy: R&R to get Zin's muse back!**


End file.
